The airline said fuel
prices drove the decision, but there were also concerns about load factors, University
Park
airport director Charles Welch says.

The twice daily service
using 50-seat Bombardier regional jets had load factors in the in the low 70
percent range during the first quarter of 2008, but previously the route had higher
load factors, around 80 percent, with three flights daily, he says.

The airline began
adjusting the schedule last September, at one point removing an early morning
flight for several weeks, Welch says.

“Changes resulted in
the loss of passengers. They went to other airlines,” he says.

Overall enplanements at the airport are
up 4.6 percent for the first five months from the same time last year, Welch
adds.